Lifestyle
Published

See it: Tourists caught wandering on dangerous and deadly edge of Yellowstone hot spring

According to the National Park Services, more than 20 people have died from thermal burns after falling into or entering Yellowstone’s hot springs.

By Olivia Stephens
Source FOX Weather

See it: Tourists filmed walking illegally close to dangerous Yellowstone hot spring

Tourists are caught getting illegally close to a hot spring in Yellowstone National Park, risking serious danger.

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo.—A pair of tourists were caught on camera walking off-trail on July 18, illegally approaching the dangerous banks of the Grand Prismatic Spring in Yellowstone National Park.

MAGNITUDE 3.3 EARTHQUAKE RATTLES YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK NEAR INFAMOUS SUPERVOLCANO

Viral footage shows what appears to be the two park visitors casually walking along the spring's thermal perimeter to take photos. 

Tourists appear to be taking photos while illegally close to hot spring in Yellowstone National Park (Priyanka Pusa via Storyful)

Stepping off the designated paths is strictly prohibited, with signs lining the area warning visitors to stay on the boardwalks.

According to the National Park Service (NPS), Grand Prismatic Spring is Yellowstone’s largest hot spring, with water reaching scalding temperatures.

WOLF'S CONCERNING BEHAVIOR PROMPTS TENT CAMPING BAN AT MICHIGAN NATIONAL PARK CAMPGROUND

"It is 90 meters (300 feet) across and 50 meters (160 feet) deep. In the center of the pool the water is 87° C (188° F)—too hot to support life," NASA reported. 

Even along the cooler outer edges, temperatures remain dangerously hot as steam continuously rises from the thermal water.

Steam is seen rising from the Grand Prismatic Spring (Priyanka Pusa via Storyful)

As one of the most popular attractions in the park, Grand Prismatic draws thousands of visitors daily. However, stepping off the boardwalk puts visitors in immediate, life-threatening danger.

HOW TO WATCH FOX WEATHER

The NPS warns that straying from designated paths carries a severe risk of thermal burns or death, as the ground surrounding these features is often just a thin, brittle crust concealing super-heated water underneath.

Tourists caught getting illegally close to hot spring in Yellowstone National Park, risking serious danger (Priyanka Pusa via Storyful)

"Burns from thermal features are a common cause of serious injury and death in the park," the NPS stated, noting that more than 20 people have died from thermal burns after falling into or entering Yellowstone’s hot springs.

Beyond the boiling water, thermal runoff poses a secondary burn hazard, while toxic gases lingering near hydrothermal vents can cause illness.

BRAIN-EATING AMOEBA DETECTED IN WATER AT ICONIC US NATIONAL PARKS, STUDY FINDS

Image 1 of 6

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, WYOMING - MAY 24: An aerial view of visitors walking around Grand Prismatic Spring in the Midway Geyser Basin on May 24, 2026 in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. Grand Prismatic Spring is the largest hot spring in the United States at more than 300 feet wide at its widest point and over 120 feet deep. The colors outside the pool's blue center are created by "thermophiles"—heat-loving microscopic organisms which flourish in many of Yellowstone’s hot springs. Yellowstone National Park became the nation’s first national park on March 1, 1872, when President Ulysses S. Grant signed a congressional act protecting the land "for the benefit and enjoyment of the people." Today, the 2.2-million-acre park thrives as part of one of Earth's last nearly intact large temperate ecosystems, famously preserving over 10,000 hydrothermal features and around 500 geysers—roughly 50 percent of the world’s total. Boasting the largest concentration of mammals in the lower 48 states, Yellowstone stands as the only place in the U.S. where bison have roamed continuously since prehistoric times. Native American communities inhabited and conserved the lands for over 10,000 years, with 27 individual tribes recognized by the National Park Service as carrying modern-day and historic ties to Yellowstone. National Park Week will celebrate America’s 250th anniversary with a weeklong celebration in August featuring hundreds of commemorative events at many of America’s 433 national parks under the theme "Celebrate America’s Story".  (Mario Tama/Getty Images)

Image 2 of 6

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, WYOMING - OCTOBER 09: Tourists take a selfie with the Grand Prismatic Spring on October 9, 2024 in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. (Qian Weizhong/VCG via Getty Images)

Image 3 of 6

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, WYOMING - OCTOBER 09: Tourists visit the Grand Prismatic Spring on October 9, 2024 in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming.  (Qian Weizhong/VCG via Getty Images)

Image 4 of 6

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, WYOMING - OCTOBER 08: Tourists visit the Grand Prismatic Spring on October 8, 2024 in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming.  (Qian Weizhong/VCG via Getty Images)

Image 5 of 6

UNITED STATES - 2011/07/15: The colorful Grand Prismatic Spring at the Misway Geyser Basin in Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, United States.  (Wolfgang Kaehler/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Image 6 of 6

The Grand Prismatic Spring is seen in the Midway Geyser Basin, Yellowstone National Park, Teton County, Wyoming, United States on July 11, 2018. It is the largest hot spring in the United States and third largest in the world. The deep blue color is from the extreme heat that makes that water sterile. The vivid green to red colors in the spring are the result of microbial mats around the edges of the mineral-rich water.  (Patrick Gorski/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

To prevent tragedies, the National Park Service outlines crucial safety rules on its website:

  • Stay on boardwalks and designated trails.
  • Hydrothermal water can severely burn you.
  • Never run, push, or shove.
  • Supervise children at all times.
  • Do not scratch hydrothermal mats.

Thermal features aren't the park's only hazard. Wildlife poses an equal threat—highlighted by the recent bull bison that charged through Bridge Bay Campground and launched a 65-year-old grandfather into the air, despite him keeping a safe distance.

SEE IT: YELLOWSTONE BISON RAMPAGES THROUGH CAMPGROUND, TOSSING GRANDFATHER 8 FEET IN THE AIR

"Think safety, act safely. Yellowstone is a dangerous place," the NPS warns.